Last week during my church small group, one of the things I discussed was how I want to do more things with people during the week. I then proceeded to shoot down the first suggestion that was made, perhaps a bit too hastily, but I am the old man of the group and so was forgiven at least by the continued flow of conversation. It wasn’t like I had any ideas myself for the week that is now past, but I threw the request out anyway.

Heading into the weekend, one of the group members posted a directive in our WhatsApp thread. In response, last night a group of us went for dinner at a local taco chain for their discounted Taco Tuesday promotion. For those who have spent any length of time around me, you’ll know that food is very important to me. I’ve planned entire days on vacation around meals. Americanized Mexican food, though, is not one of my regular genres.

Conversation topics varied from English soccer to which TV show I should watch next to engagement stories to meeting people on airplanes to why I wasn’t going to watch any election coverage when I got home to myriad other topics. It was a dinner party atmosphere that I so rarely experience and worth throwing off my meal planning schedule. As for the tacos, I’m glad I did not pay full price. I had some very good tacos in Mexico City earlier this year, and these weren’t in the same league. I still ate all three that I ordered. Then I picked up a second dinner on the way back to my apartment and enjoyed the poke bowl much more. It wasn’t like I made the drive for the food anyway.